Chapter 4
A Familiar Stranger
Oh yes, he will get even with Ranger. He will find out where all those mysterious black cars come from. The dusty navy blue SUV stops in front of the two-story house; Joe Morelli kills the engine of his car and once again feels the familiar anger rising inside. He doesn't know why he's so mad with Ranger, but he doesn't care. Everybody keeps telling him how lucky he is to have his dreams come true. A house. A job. A dog. A car. A wife. And a couple kids. Not many men can have all the things they want in life. But he can't help wanting more, and more, and more. Life should be more than this. It should be richer, fuller, and merrier. And Stephanie should be more cooperating and much happier. She shouldn't glare at him with that special look in her eyes whenever they have a fight as if he's just not good enough. He has done all he can. He has worked his butt off to make things work. All he wants is a smile from his wife. All he wants is another child. All he wants after a long day's work is a tender kiss and a hearty hug, instead of the endless complaining about his mother and the rest of his rude and inconsiderate family. Now he has also started hating Stephanie for making him feel like a lesser man. And sometimes at a moment like this he just wants to restart his car and drive all the way to another continent and start a new life. Morelli lets out a sigh and gets out of his car. Too late for wistful dreams now. He's already trapped.
The scent of alcohol, perfume, and cheap sex bitch-slaps Stephanie in her face. Without a word her husband nudges past her and goes upstairs. Joe has cheated on her. She numbly thinks. Her heart cracks a little. She starts shaking. She has thought he would stay loyal to her. She has thought he would respect their marriage. She has thought he would never be like his father, uncles, cousins, and brother. She has thought she would be happy. She sits down on the couch and silently weeps. Bob slowly walks over to put his head on her lap and whimpers a little. Upstairs in the bathroom Joe turns on the shower. Stephanie hugs Bob but doesn't feel any better. Once again she has been cheated on. She wonders if this time there was another dining table involved. Soon her tears stop and somehow she wants to laugh. Would she feel better had he come home with flowers and a box of chocolate? Would she sense the other woman had he taken a shower before coming home? All the beautiful romantic dreams she once had when she was a stupid young girl. All the hopes and wishes they once shared when they were still newlyweds. And now they have kids and she doesn't have a job. She can't just walk away or throw him out. Rose Maria and JJ are still too young. They need their father. She needs Joe's income. She has basically no money in her own bank account ever since they started a joint account. And the Morelli men don't do divorce, though they do cheat on their wives.
"Once you go to the Bat Cave it's forever, babe."
Out of nowhere Ranger's voice sounds in Stephanie ears. She slides off the couch and buries her face in Bob's dense orange fur. Around her, her once perfect little world breaks and shatters into zillions and zillions of tiny bitter pieces. A car stops outside on the street. Her daughter's and son's voices reach her ears. She knows she should stand up right now and put on her motherly smile and start fussing around the kids. But she remains where she is. She simply has no strength left. And for the first time in a little more than eight years, Stephanie Morelli finally admits to herself that she has chosen the wrong path. And her Batman is no longer there.